#1121

Pakistan’s 2024-2025 economic doctrine of 'Geo-economics' prioritizes SAARC as a platform for:

(a) Military conquest

(b) Regional connectivity and transit trade

(c) Total isolation

(d) Abolishing local taxes

Explanation: Pakistan's current foreign policy shift towards Geo-economics aims to utilize SAARC for regional trade connectivity. This includes developing corridors that connect Central Asia to the Arabian Sea, benefiting the landlocked members of the organization.

#1122

The 26th Constitutional Amendment (2024) in Pakistan was presented to SAARC legal forums as an effort to:

(a) Abolish the judiciary

(b) Institutionalize judicial efficiency and Constitutional Benches

(c) Ban regional languages

(d) Increase the term of military officers

Explanation: The 26th Amendment was a significant reform that established Constitutional Benches. In regional legal dialogues, Pakistan presented this as a step toward modernizing its legal system and ensuring the separation of powers while maintaining judicial efficiency.

#1123

What is the primary export of Pakistan to the SAARC region as of 2024-2025?

(a) Crude oil

(b) Textiles, Rice, and Surgical Goods

(c) Heavy tanks

(d) Automobiles

Explanation: Pakistan remains a leading supplier of agricultural commodities (rice), textile products, and specialized surgical instruments to its South Asian neighbors, though trade volume is often hampered by the lack of direct land routes to certain members.

#1124

Pakistan hosted which major SCO gathering for the first time in October 2024?

(a) Council of Heads of State (CHS)

(b) Council of Heads of Government (CHG)

(c) RATS Annual Conference

(d) SCO Business Forum

Explanation: Pakistan hosted the 23rd meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) in Islamabad on October 15-16, 2024. This was a significant diplomatic milestone for Pakistan, as it brought together leaders including the Chinese Premier, the Russian Prime Minister, and the Indian External Affairs Minister to discuss regional trade, digital economy, and climate change. It marked the first visit by an Indian Foreign Minister to Pakistan in nine years.

#1125

Which landmark document was issued at the conclusion of the October 2024 SCO summit hosted in Islamabad?

(a) Lahore Declaration

(b) Islamabad Declaration

(c) Astana Vision 2030

(d) Jeddah Communiqué

Explanation: The 23rd SCO-CHG meeting concluded with the signing of the 'Islamabad Declaration.' This joint communiqué emphasized the need for a more equitable global economic order, rejected unilateral sanctions and 'protectionist' trade measures, and called for enhanced cooperation in the fields of transport, energy security, and digital trade. It served as a roadmap for regional cooperation during Pakistan's tenure as the host.

#1126

The 26th Constitutional Amendment passed in Pakistan in 2024 was discussed in regional legal forums as an effort to:

(a) Abolish the parliament

(b) Institutionalize judicial efficiency and Constitutional Benches

(c) Ban regional languages

(d) Declare war on neighbors

Explanation: The 26th Amendment was a landmark reform that established Constitutional Benches in the Supreme Court and High Courts. Within SCO-linked legal and administrative dialogues, Pakistan has presented such domestic reforms as efforts to modernize its judicial system and ensure the separation of powers. Such institutional stability is viewed as a prerequisite for attracting the large-scale regional investment envisioned in the SCO charter.

#1127

Which high-ranking Russian official visited Islamabad in October 2024 to participate in the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting?

(a) Vladimir Putin

(b) Mikhail Mishustin

(c) Sergey Lavrov

(d) Dmitry Medvedev

Explanation: Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin visited Islamabad for the 2024 SCO summit. His visit included high-level bilateral talks where both nations discussed the 'Pakistan Stream' gas pipeline, the trade of discounted crude oil, and the use of local currencies for bilateral trade. This engagement highlighted the warming ties between Islamabad and Moscow facilitated by their shared membership in the SCO.

#1128

What is the total value of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) approved by the IMF for Pakistan in September 2024, supported by economic assurances from SCO partners?

(a) $3 Billion

(b) $5 Billion

(c) $7 Billion

(d) $9 Billion

Explanation: In September 2024, the IMF Executive Board approved a 37-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement for Pakistan worth approximately $7 billion (SDR 5,320 million). Economic diplomacy with SCO members like China and Russia was crucial in securing the external financing assurances required for this program to stabilize Pakistan's macroeconomy.

#1129

Which high-ranking Russian official visited Islamabad in October 2024 for the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting?

(a) Vladimir Putin

(b) Mikhail Mishustin

(c) Sergey Lavrov

(d) Dmitry Medvedev

Explanation: Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin visited Islamabad in October 2024 for the SCO-CHG meeting. His visit included high-level bilateral talks where both nations discussed the 'Pakistan Stream' gas pipeline and the trade of discounted crude oil. This engagement highlighted the warming ties between Islamabad and Moscow facilitated by their shared membership in the SCO.

#1130

The first visit by an Indian Foreign Minister to Pakistan in nine years occurred during the 2024 SCO summit. Who was the official?

(a) Sushma Swaraj

(b) S. Jaishankar

(c) Narendra Modi

(d) Ajit Doval

Explanation: Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited Islamabad in October 2024 to attend the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting. This was the first such visit since 2015. While the visit focused on the multilateral SCO agenda, it was seen as a significant protocol-level engagement between the two nuclear neighbors.

#1131

In late 2024, Pakistan and China signed an agreement to upgrade which railway project under the CPEC-SCO connectivity vision?

(a) Orange Line

(b) Main Line-1 (ML-1)

(c) Karachi Circular Railway

(d) Bolan Express

Explanation: The ML-1 project is the most critical railway infrastructure project in Pakistan, aimed at upgrading the track from Karachi to Peshawar. In 2024 and 2025, Pakistan and China fast-tracked this project to ensure that the transport corridor can effectively handle the projected surge in transit trade from Central Asian SCO members.

#1132

Which SCO member is Pakistan's largest supplier of discounted crude oil as of late 2024 and early 2025?

(a) China

(b) Russia

(c) Kazakhstan

(d) Uzbekistan

Explanation: Following the global shift in energy markets, Pakistan began importing discounted crude oil from Russia in 2023. By 2024 and 2025, this has become a key pillar of Pakistan's energy security strategy. The SCO provides a diplomatic framework for the two nations to settle payments and navigate international logistics challenges.

#1133

Which specific 'evil' does the SCO-RATS prioritize, which Pakistan has addressed through Operation Azm-e-Istehkam in 2024?

(a) Environmental pollution

(b) Terrorism

(c) Corruption

(d) Inflation

Explanation: The SCO Charter identifies the 'three evils' as terrorism, separatism, and extremism. Pakistan launched Operation Azm-e-Istehkam in June 2024 to combat the re-emerging threat of militancy. Pakistan's progress in this domestic operation is regularly shared with the SCO-RATS to emphasize its role as a stable regional security partner.

#1134

The 'Islamabad Declaration' issued at the end of the 2024 SCO summit emphasized which new area of cooperation?

(a) Nuclear weapons research

(b) Digital Trade and E-commerce

(c) Building more dams

(d) Abolishing local taxes

Explanation: The Islamabad Declaration of the 23rd SCO-CHG meeting highlighted the need for a more equitable global economic order and focused on digital trade, e-commerce, and the integration of digital payment systems. Pakistan championed this agenda to leverage its growing IT sector and to link its startups with the massive SCO market.

#1135

Pakistan's application to join which global bloc in 2024 is seen as a move to complement its role in the SCO?

(a) G7

(b) BRICS

(c) NATO

(d) ASEAN

Explanation: Pakistan formally applied to join BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) in late 2023 and early 2024. Membership in both the SCO and BRICS would allow Pakistan to align its foreign policy with the 'Global South' and the emerging multi-polar world order led by its strategic partners.

#1136

Which Pakistani city hosted the first-ever 'OIC-SCO Joint Meeting' on the sidelines of an international conference in 2024?

(a) Karachi

(b) Islamabad

(c) Lahore

(d) Quetta

Explanation: Islamabad has become a hub for inter-organizational dialogue. In 2024, Pakistan facilitated informal discussions between OIC and SCO representatives to coordinate their stances on common challenges like Islamophobia, regional connectivity, and the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

#1137

Which Pakistani airline resumed direct flights between Lahore and Tashkent in 2024 to facilitate SCO-linked business travel?

(a) Airblue

(b) PIA (Pakistan International Airlines)

(c) Serene Air

(d) Shaheen Air

Explanation: Restoring air connectivity is a pillar of Pakistan's 'Look Central Asia' policy. PIA resumed direct flights to Tashkent (Uzbekistan) in 2024 to support the growing number of businessmen, tourists, and students moving between the two SCO member states.

#1138

The 'Currency Swap' agreement discussed between Pakistan and Russia in 2024 aims to bypass which global system?

(a) SWIFT

(b) The Internet

(c) NATO

(d) The OIC

Explanation: Due to international sanctions, Pakistan and Russia have discussed settle bilateral trade in local currencies (Rupee and Ruble) or through barter. This move, discussed within the SCO framework, aims to facilitate trade in energy and agriculture while bypassing the dollar-denominated SWIFT banking system.

#1139

What is the primary export of Pakistan to the Central Asian SCO members as of 2024-2025?

(a) Crude oil

(b) Textiles, Pharmaceuticals, and Surgical Goods

(c) Heavy tanks

(d) Wood

Explanation: Pakistan remains a leading supplier of textiles and specialized surgical instruments to the Central Asian market. Additionally, Pakistani pharmaceutical products have gained significant market share in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan due to their quality and affordable prices.

#1140

Which Pakistani official visited Tashkent in mid-2024 to attend the SCO Foreign Ministers' meeting?

(a) Shah Mehmood Qureshi

(b) Ishaq Dar

(c) Bilawal Bhutto

(d) Hina Rabbani Khar

Explanation: Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar attended the SCO-CFM meeting in Tashkent in 2024. During his visit, he reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to regional connectivity and the fight against extremism, setting the stage for the successful hosting of the CHG summit in Islamabad.

April 2024 Current Affairs MCQs & Solutions